Facebook Adds Tap-and-Hold Video Recording Feature to Messenger App

If you can't buy them, join them. At least that is what Facebook is thinking.

After a botched attempt at buying Snapchat, Facebook appears to have taken a cue from the startup with a new messaging feature that lets users tap and hold the camera button to record a video straight into the message.

The new feature uses the selfie-side camera by default but can easily be switched to the front facing camera.

The update is available on iOS and will be on Android shortly, allowing Facebook's more than 200 million users the ability to quickly and easily make and share moments in movie form.

The Messenger update comes just days after Facebook’s direct competitor to Snapchat, Slingshot, was leaked into the app store momentarily before it was quickly taken down, TechCrunch notes. The app will supposedly allow users to write on photos and video messages before sending. But one major difference between the two is Facebook will require a reply from a user, meaning someone will have to send a message before they can view a message. This could be an issue if people on the social-media platform have yet to add the feature. But this forced response could also help Facebook boost its user base quickly.

Facebook updated the Messenger app in April with the ability to send pre-recorded videos and a split screen mode that lets user take photos and send messages in the same view.